Take-apart archery bow



June 20, 1967 P. B. GRABLE 3,326,200

TAKE-APART ARCHERY. BOW

Filed Sept. 20, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 m Q W ATTORNEYS June 20, 1967 B GRABU; 3,326,200

TAKE-APART ARCHERY BOW Filed Sept. 20, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 9,

INVENTOR flfl/ZA/fl 5. 65011945 ATTORNEY5 United States Patent 3,326,200 TAKE-APART ARCHERY BOW Phillip B. Grable, Dimondale, Mich, assignor to Archery Research Inc, Big Rapids, Mich, a corporation of Michigan Filed Sept. 20, 1965, Ser. No. 488,364 Claims. (Cl. 124-24) This application is a continuation-in-part of my co-pending application Ser. No. 244,474, now Patent No. 3,207,- 146 issued Sept. 21, 1965, for an Archery Bow, filed Dec. 13, 1962.

This invention relates to a take-apart archery bow and more particularly to a take-apart bow having metal-tometal surface contact between the limb members and the central limb-retaining handle portion at the juncture points thereof. Further, this invention relates to a takeapart archery bow having a limb member which utilizes an insert upon which wood and fiberglass laminate strips are mounted so as to form a limb-member of any desired configuration and whereby the wood and fiberglass laminated strips are free from any retentive clamping, crimping or crushing pressures when the limb is mounted in its operative use position on the central handle member.

Still further, this invention relates to a take-apart archery bow having a limb member which utilizes a metal retainer insert upon which a buifer element is mounted so as to support wood and glass laminate strips in a spacedapart position from the metal retainer insert.

As pointed out in my copending application a takeapart archery bow having metal-to-metal surfaces at the junction wear point between the handle and limb members results in a bow which retains its correct alignment even after repeated assembly and dis-assembly. Heretofore, most take-apart bows have utilized wood-to-wood or Wood-to-metal surfaces at the junction wear points and this has resulted in misalignment of limb members and handle portions after the bow had been in use. The resultant misalignment of the limbs due to wear occasioned by repeated wood-to-wood or wood-to-metal contact has made it impossible to provide a precision-type bow of the take-apart type.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a take-apart bow whereby the juncture wear points between the central handle portion and the limb members consists of metal-to-metal surface contact.

It is another object of this invention to provide a takeapart archery bow where metal-to-metal surface contact at the juncture points between the limb members and the central handle portion results in a precision-type bow which retains its correct alignment even after repeated assembly and disassembly.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a take-apart archery bow having a limb member which is provided with a metal retainer insert for engaging a central handle member and which utilizes a buffer element on the metal retainer insert upon which wood and fiberglass limb-forming strips are mounted in a spaced-apart relationship to the metal retainer insert.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a takeapart archery bow utilizing a limb member having a bandle engaging metal insert which is encased within a tapered buffer element which has wood and fiberglass laminate strip receiving surfaces upon which laminated wood and fiberglass strips are mounted in a spaced apart relationship to the metal insert so as to form a limb member of any desired configuration.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a takeapart bow having the actual flexible limb portion free to flex without any pinching, crunching, or clamping pressure being exerted on the flexible wood and fiberglass laminated 3,326,290 Patented June 20, 1967 strips and further, without having any retaining holes drilled through the flexible wood and fiberglass laminated strip portion.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a limb for a take-apart bow which utilizes a buffer zone of wood or plastic bet-ween the metal insert and the wood and fiberglass lami-anted strip portions which form the limb so as to allow optimum flexing characteristics and provide a bow which gives a superior performance hitherto unattainable in the limbs of take-apart bows of the prior known art.

Other objects and advantages found in the construction of my invention will be apparent from a consideration of the following specification in connection with the appended claims and the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation view of the take-apart bow illustrating the central handle portion having a completed limb member mounted in its operative use position at one end of the bow and illustrating a metal limb insert member mounted at the other end of the central handle member. The metal retainer insert is shown for illustrative purposes only and in use forms a part of the limb member which is shown in broken lines. The broken lines in the lower limb shows the metal insert within the base of the limb.

FIGURE 2 is a front elevation view of the take-apart bow as shown in FIGURE 1. The limb members have been broken away in order to conserve space in the drawings.

FIGURE 3 is a partial perspective view of one end of the central handle member showing the limb-engaging lug extension thereon and showing the retaining pin holes therethrough.

FIGURE 4 is a side elevation View of the metal retainer insert showing the limb retaining pin holes therethrough.

FIGURE 5 is a front elevation view of the metal retainer insert as shown in FIGURE 4 and illustrating the lug extension-engaging slot therethrough.

FIGURE 6 is a side elevation view of the metal retainer insert encased within the buffer element which is attached to and is co-extensive with tapered surfaces of the metal retainer insert.

FIGURE 7 is an end view of the metal retainer insert and buffer element combination as shown in FIGURE 6 and showing the addition of side facing panels co-extensive with the sides of said metal retainer insert and said buffer element.

FIGURE 8 is a side elevation of the metal retainer insert and buifer element combination as shown in FIG- URE 7 and illustrating in exploded manner the wood and fiberglass laminate strips which are selectively laminated together and to the front and rear laminate strip receiving surfaces provided on the butter element so as to form a limb member as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2.

FIGURE 9 is a side elevation view of one of the limb retaining pins.

FIGURE 10 is a side elevation schematic view of another embodiment of a metal insert member and illustrating in exploded manner the laminate strips which are mounted upon the front and rear laminate strip receiving surfaces provided on the metal insert member.

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General description In general, a take-apart archery bow is provided having two limb members which are mounted at each end of a central limb-retaining handle member. The ends of the central handle member are provided with metal lug extensions which are configured to matingly engage metal retainer inserts which are provided in the ends of the limb members. In this manner, a take-apart bow is provided whereby the juncture points between the central handle member and the limbs consist of metal-to-metal contact surfaces. This results in a precision-type bow which retains its correct alignment even after repeated assembly and disassembly.

In the present embodiment of the invention, each of the limbs is provided with a metal retainer insert which is encased within a wood buffer element which provides a suitable base to which wood and fiberglass laminate strips are laminated by use of suitable resin glues. The wood and fiberglass laminate strip consisting of fiberglass parallels and wood parallels and/ or wood tapers are laminated together so as to extend outwardly from the wood buffer member and are configured in a manner well known in the art to form the flexible portion of the limbs as shown in the drawings.

Although the preferred embodiment of the invention utilizes a limb member wherein an intermediate wood buffer member is used upon which the wood and fiberglass laminate strips are mounted, it is considered to be within the scope of the invention to mount the wood and fiberglass laminate strips directly upon the front and rear surfaces of the metal retainer insert so as to extend therebeyond to form a limb member.

It is also considered to be within the scope of the invention to reverse the structures involved so that the metal retainer insert provided in the limbs has a metal extension lug which extends into an opening provided in the ends of the central handle portion. This would provide the same advantages as the preferred embodiment of the invention in that the juncture points between the limbs and handle member would consist of metal-to-metal contact surfaces.

It is thus seen that a take-apart bow is provided which is simple and economical to fabricate and which has great versatility in use. Further, a take-apart archery bow is provided which avoids the misalignment problems arising in other take-apart bows due to the wear occasioned by repeated wood-to-wood or wood-to-metal contact. In addition, a take-apart bow is provided having limbs wherein the flexible wood and fiberglass laminated strip portion does not come into contact with the handle member or with any retention or clamping means associated with the handle member and the base of the limbs. Inasmuch as the laminated portions of the limbs do not undergo any clamping or binding pressures and do not have any retaining holes provided therethrough, a take-apart bow is provided having excellent shooting characteristics hitherto unattainable in the take-apart bows of the prior art.

Specific description As shown in the side elevation view of FIGURE 1, the take-apart how 11 consists of a central handle member 12, and limb members 13 and 14 selectively attached to the ends of the central handle member 12. The central handle member 12 is preferably fabricated from aluminum metal and is configured to provide an integrally formed grip portion 15 and a sight window 16. As shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 and, more specifically in FIGURE 3, the elongate central handle member 12 is provided with metal lug extensions 17 at the ends thereof. The metal lug extensions 17 have limb retaining pin holes 18 provided therethrough. The metal lug extensions 17 are adapted to extend into and matingly engage retaining inserts 19 which are provided in the ends of the limb members 13 and 14.

While the preferred embodiment of the central handle member 12 is fabricated completely from aluminum, it is within the scope of the invention to provide a central handle member of wood or any other suitable material so long as the end portions thereof and the lug extensions 17 are formed of aluminum or other appropriate metal so as to provide metal-to-metal contact surfaces at the juncture wear points between the limbs and the handle member.

As shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, the central handle portion 12 is provided with a completed limb 14 mounted at the bottom end thereof. At the upper end of the handle member as shown in the drawings, a metal retainer insert 19 is mounted on the metal lug extension 17 of the central handle member 12 for purposes of illustration. The broken line representation of a limb illustrates an actual limb member as it appears with the metal retainer insert 19 mounted in the base thereof. The bow string 20 is provided to illustrate the take-apart bow in its assembled use position.

The front view of FIGURE 2 illustrates the bow assembly as shown in FIGURE 1 but with the limb portions 13 and 14 broken away so as to conserve space in the drawings.

As shown in the side elevation view of FIGURE 4, the metal retaining insert 19 has a tapered configuration with front and rear tapered surfaces 21 and 22, respectively, which merge to form an edge 23. A shown in the front elevation view of FIGURE 5, the metal insert 19 is provided with a lug extension retaining slot 24 therethrough. A pair of limb-retaining pin holes 25 are provided through the bifurcated portion of the metal retainer insert 19. The limb-retaining holes 25 are configured to receive attachment means such as a limb retaining pin 26. A portion of the limb retaining hole 25 is threaded as shown so as to threadably engage the limb-retaining pin 26. A limb retaining pin 26 is shown in FIGURE 9. When the limbs are in their use position on the handle member, the limb retaining holes 25 provided in the metal retainer insert 19 are in coaxial register and alignment with the retainer pin holes 18 provided through the metal lug extensions 17 provided on the central handle member 12 soas to receive the retainer pins 26 therethrough, thus lockably retaining the limbs in their operative use position on the central handle portion.

As shown in the side elevation view of FIGURE 6, the metal retainer insert 19 is encased within a wood buffer element 27 which is mounted on the front and rear tapered sides 21 and 22, respectively, of the metal retainer insert. At this stage of construction, the wood buffer element 27 is the same thickness as the metal retainer insert 19 and therefore the sides of the metal retainer insert 19 are exposed. As shown, the wood buffer element 27 has an elongate tapered configuration which merges to a feathered edge 28. The wood buffer element 27 is provided with tapered front and rear surfaces 29 and 30, respectively, which are configured to receive wood and fiberglass laminate strips 31 and 32, respectively, thereon as shown in the exploded view of FIGURE 8 and in the completed limbs of FIGURE 1.

The tapered configuration of the wood buffer element 27 provides a fiexible tapered bufier zone 33 which extends beyond the feathered edge of the metal retainer insert 19. This flexible buffer zone coacts with the wood and fiberglass strips laminated therearound to provide a limb having highly desirable shooting characteristics.

The wood buffer element 27 can be formed as described above by glueing wood blocks to the front and rear tapered surfaces 21 and 22, respectively provided on the metal retainer insert 19. The blocks are then cut and shaped to the desired configuration around the metal insert. It is also within the scope of this invention to encase the metal insert by use of an appropriate plastic material instead of using wood to form the buffer ele ment 27.

The wood and fiberglass laminate strips are formed and laminated together by use of appropriate resin glues in a manner well known in the art and as described hereafter. It is well known in the art to employ tapers in selected of said wood and fiberglass laminate strips so as to impart any type of desired shooting characteristics in the completed limb member. Further, any desired radius of curvature can be imparted to the front and rear surfaces of the buffer element so as to impart any desired shooting characteristics to the wood and fiberglass strips mounted thereon and extending therebeyond. The basic overall relationship of the metal retainer insert (shown in broken lines), the wood buffer element and the wood laminate strips 31 and the fiberglass laminate strips 32 are shown in the exploded view of FIGURE 8. Suitable epoxy resins and glues which are well known in the art are utilized to mount the ends of the wood and fiber glass strips to the front and rear laminate strip receiving surfaces 29 and 30, respectively, provided on the buffer element 27.

As shown in FIGURES 7 and 8, the side portions of the metal retainer insert and buffer element combination are then encased by use of a flat wood veneer panel 34 glued thereto. This is for decorative purposes and does not affect the basic operation of the take-apart bow.

It is to be considered within the scope of this invention to provide limb which utilizes a metal retainer insert which has the same overall configuration as that found in the metal retainer insert and buffer element combination shown and described herein. In that case, the metal retainer itself would be provided with the front and rear laminate strip receiving surfaces. The resultant limb member would then be comprised solely of the specially formed metal retainer insert with the laminated wood and metal strips mounted thereon as shown in FIGURE 8. The use of an intermediate buffer element would then be eliminated. However certain flexing characteristics would not be found in this embodiment of the invention. This embodiment of the invention is shown in FIGURE 10. In this embodiment of the invention, the metal insert 19a is configured to eliminate the need for the buffer element 27. Thus, the metal insert 19a is provided with tapered front and rear surfaces 29a and 30a, respectively, which are configured to directly receive the laminate strips 31 and 32.

It is thus seen that a unique take-apart bow is provided having metal-to-metal surface contact at the juncture points between the limb members and the central handle portion. In addition, the'fiexible laminated wood and fiberglass strips at no time come into contact with the juncture surfaces or retaining pin elements and holes therefor. There is no clamping or retaining pressure exerted direct ly on the laminated portions of the limb and there are no holes drilled therethrough. This imparts operating characteristics within the take-apart bow limb which have hitherto not been possible in the take-apart bows of the prior known art. This type of construction has never been utilized heretofore in the building of take-apart archery bows.

In order to fabricate these unique limbs, special forms are built which impart the desired configuration to the limbs as finally fabricated. By use of these forms, the wood and fiberglass laminate strips are glued together and selectively to the buffer element provided on the metal retainer insert. Suitable heat and pressure is applied thereto in accordance with the recommendations made in the use of the epoxy resins and glues well known in the art for carrying out this type of lamination process.

In operation, the limb members 13 and 14 are mounted on the central handle member 12 so that the metal lug extensions 17 provided on the ends of the central handle member 12 matingly engage the slot 24 provided in the metal retainer insert 19 located in the base of the limbs. This assembled use relationship is shown in FIGURE 1. The limb retaining pins 26 are then inserted through the limb retaining pin holes 25 provided in the bifurcated por-' tions of the metal insert 19 and through the limb retaining pin holes 18 in the lug extensions 17 provided on the central handle member. After the limb retaining pins 26 are screwed into place, the bow is strung as shown in FIG- URE l and is ready for operation.

It is thus seen that a highly versatile take-apart bow is provided having limbs utilizing a metal insert encased within a wood buffer element to which wood and fiberglass strips are laminated so as to form limbs for mounting on a central handle member.

If it is desired to have a take-apart bow which has various shooting characteristics, different sets of limbs can be fabricated for use on the same central handle member. A different set of shooting characteristics can be imparted to each set of limbs by varying the angle of curvature of the wood buffer element and also by using varying combinations of wood tapers and wood parallels in the laminated limb structure.

It is thus seen that this unique design and method of fabrication provides limb members wherein the laminated wood and fiberglass strips do not have any type of clamping pressures exerted thereon in their operative use positions and therefore superior shooting results are attained and excellent repetitive alignment is thus maintained. In addition, the metal-to-metal contact at the juncture points made possible by the unique metal insert provided in the ends of the limb members eliminates the wear occasioned by repeated assembly and disassembly. This again assures accurate repetitive alignment heretofore unattainable in take-apart bows.

Various other modifications of the invention may be made without departing from the principle thereof. Each of the modifications is to be considered as included in the hereinafter appended claims unless these claims by their language expressly provide otherwise. Having thus set forth the nature of my invention I claim the following:

1. In a take-apart bow, the combination including:

(a) an elongate limb retaining handle member having metal limb mounting means extending from each end thereof;

(b) limb members provided for selective mounting at each end of said handle member, each of said limbs having metal handle-engaging insert means fixedly mounted in the base thereof, said metal insert means provided with slots so as to matingly and retainably receive said metal limb mounting means so as to hold said limbs in their operative use positions on said handle member while providing metal-to-metal surface contact at the juncture points between said limbs and said handle member; and

(c) attachment means directly connecting said metal lim b mounting means Within said metal insert means.

2. In a take-apart bow, the combination including:

(a) an elongate limb retaining handle member having limb-engaging metal lug extensions provided at each end thereof;

(b) limb members provided for selective mounting at each end of said handle member, each of said limb members having a metal insert fixedly mounted in the base thereof, said inserts adapted to matingly and retainably engage said lug extensions so as to hold said limbs in their operative use positions on said handle member; and

(c) attachment means directly connecting said metal lug extensions within said metal inserts.

3. In a take-apart bow, the combination including:

(a) an elongate limb retaining handle member having limb-engaging metal lug extensions provided at each end thereof;

(b) limb members provided for selective mounting at each end of said handle member, each of said limb members having a metal insert fixedly mounted in the base thereof, said metal inserts provided with a slot therein so as to matingly and retainably receive said metal lug extensions so as to hold said limbs in their operative use positions on said handle member while providing metal-to-metal surface contact at the juncture points between said limbs and said handle member; and

(c) attachment means directly connecting said metal lug extensions within said metal inserts.

4. In a take-apart bow, the combination including:

(a) an elongate limb retaining handle member having limb-engaging metal lug extensions provided at each end thereof;

(b) a metal insert member mountable on said metal lug extensions, said metal insert member having forward and rear laminate strip receiving surfaces; and

(c) resilient flexible laminate strips fixedly attached to said forward and rear laminate strip-receiving surfaces provided on said metal insert member, said resilient flexible laminate strips extending beyond said metal insert member in a joined-together laminated manner so as to form a limb member of any desired configuration.

5. In a take-apart bow, the combination including:

(a) an elongate limb retaining handle member having limb-engaging metal lug extensions provided at each end thereof;

(b) a metal insert member mountable on said metal lug extensions, said metal insert having forward and rear buffer element receiving surfaces;

(c) a wood buffer element fixedly attached to and extending beyond said forward and rear buffer element receiving surfaces provided on said metal insert member, said buffer element having forward and rear laminate strip receiving surfaces; and

(d) resilient flexible laminate strips fixedly attached to said forward and rear laminate strip-receiving surfaces provided on said wood buffer element, said resilient flexible laminate strips extending beyond said wood buffer element in a joined-together laminated manner so as to form a limb member of any desired configuration.

6. In a limb member for use in association with an elongate limb retaining member having limb engaging means at each end thereof, the combination including:

(a) a tapered metal insert member having front and rear laminate strip receiving surfaces, said metal insert member having central handle member engaging means at one end of said metal insert opposite the tapered portion thereof and away from said laminate strip receiving surfaces; and

(b) resilient flexible laminate strips fixedly attached to said front and rear laminate strip receiving surfaces, said resilient flexible laminate strips extending beyond said metal insert in a joined-together laminated manner so as to form a limb member of any desired configuration.

7. In a limb member for use in association with an elongate limb retaining member having limb engaging means at each end thereof, the combination including:

(a) a metal insert fixedly encased within a wood buffer element having front and rear laminate strip receiving surfaces which taper to merge into a feather edge, said metal insert having limb retaining memher engaging means provided thereon opposite to and away from said laminate strip receiving surfaces; and

(b) resilient flexible laminate strips fixedly attached to said front and rear laminate strip receiving surfaces, said resilient flexible laminate strips extending beyond said wood buffer element in a joined-together laminated manner so as to form a limb member of any desired configuration. V

8. In a limb member for use in association with an elongate limb retaining member having limb-engaging metal lug extensions at each end thereof, the combination including:

(a) a tapered metal insert member having front and rear laminate strip receiving surfaces, said metal insert member defining a transversely positioned lug extension receiving slot through the end of said metal insert opposite the tapered portion thereof and away from said laminate strip receiving surfaces; and

(b) resilient flexible laminate strips fixedly attached to said front and rear laminate strip-receiving surfaces, said resilient flexible laminate strips extending beyond said metal insert in a joined-together laminated manner so as to form a limb member of any desired configuration.

9. In a limb member for use in association with an elongate limb retaining member having limb-engaging metal lug extensions at each end thereof, the combination including:

(a) a metal insert fixedly encased within a wood buffer element having front and rear laminate strip-receiving surfaces which taper to merge into a feather edge, said metal insert and wood buffer element defining a transversely positioned lug extension receiving slot through the ends thereof opposite to and away from said laminate strip-receiving surfaces; and

(b) resilient flexible laminate strips fixedly attached to said front and rear laminate strip-receiving surfaces, said resilient flexible laminate strips extending beyond said wood buffer element in a joined-together laminated manner so as to form a limb member of any desired configuration.

10. In a take-apart bow as claimed in claim 5 wherein the buffer element is formed of a plastic material.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 579,277 3/1897 Lord et al 287103 X 1,180,833 4/1916 Frank 43-137 2,541,759 2/1951 Harnbre 43-18 2,665,679 1/1954 Gaskell 124-24 2,900,973 8/1959 Diehr 12424 3,161,189 12/1964 Chessman 12424 RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner.

W. R. BROWNE, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A TAKE-APART BOW, THE COMBINATION INCLUDING: (A) AN ELONGATE LIMB RETAINING HANDLE MEMBER HAVING METAL LIMB MOUNTING MEANS EXTENDING FROM EACH END THEREOF; (B) LIMB MEMBERS PROVIDED FOR SELECTIVE MOUNTING AT EACH END OF SAID HANDLE MEMBER, EACH OF SAID LIMBS HAVING METAL HANDLE-ENGAGING INSERT MEANS FIXEDLY MOUNTED IN THE BASE THEREOF, SAID METAL INSERT MEANS PROVIDED WITH SLOTS SO AS TO MATINGLY AND RETAINABLY RECEIVE SAID METAL LIMB MOUNTING MEANS SO AS TO HOLD SAID LIMBS IN THEIR OPERATIVE USE POSITIONS ON SAID HANDLE MEMBER WHILE PROVIDING METAL-TO-METAL SURFACE CONTACT AT THE JUNCTURE POINTS BETWEEN SAID LIMBS AND SAID HANDLE MEMBER; AND (C) ATTACHMENT MEANS DIRECTLY CONNECTING SAID METAL LIMB MOUNTING MEANS WITHIN SAID METAL INSERT MEANS. 